Axle-recording device for railways



W. KOLBEAND J. FRlTZE-N. AXLE RECORDING DEVICE'FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14-, I921.

Pafented July 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w. KOLBE AND in FRITZEN.-

AXLE RECORDING DEVIQE FOR RAlLWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED n. 14. 1921.

Patented Jilly 4', 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 n 'IIIIIIII4 "fill/11111111 A W. KOLBE AND J. FRITZEN.

AXLE RECORDINGv DEVICEIFOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14', 1921.

1,421,500, Patented July 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

Fig.8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WERNER KOLBE AND JOHANNES FRITZEN, OF ESS-EN ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY,ASSIGNOBS T0 FRIED; KB-U-Il AKTIENGESEIJDSCIIAFT, 0F ESSEN'0jN-THERUI-IB, GERMANY.

AXLE RECoiRlDlNG DEVICE FOR. RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented July 4, 1922.

Application. filed February 14, 1921., seria No. 445,046.

To all whom it may concern:

residing at Essen-on-theJiu'hr, and JOIIAN- NES FnrrznN, residing atEssenbnr-theYRuhr,

Prussia, Germany, both citizens 101; the llepublic of Germany, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Axle-Recording Devicesfor Railways, of: which the following is a specification. e

This invention relates to devices destined to record the axles passingacross a;railwayline, which will notv only indicate the number of axlesand the direction of running thereof, but also the axle pressure and thetime at which the trainpasses' The object of the invention is.toestablish a device of the aforesaid character, excelling. by the factof being capable of supplying absolutely reliablev and correctindications for every travelling speed.

One embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is shown! by wayof example in the annexed drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a top view of thepart of the device arrangedon the railsoit a railway track,

Fig. a sectional view along line '22 in Fig. 1, looking from the left,

3 to 7 sectional views along lines 33, el4t, 55, 66, 7'? respectively,in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 10,

Fig. 8. a diagram showing the electrical connections and the recordingmechanism, and

Fig. 9 a diagram drawn by the recording mechanism.

First of all. that part of the improved device will be described whichis arranged on the rails of a railway track.

()nthc sleepers A of a railway track run ning toa station, therearesecurcd twooppositely disposed plates B and C, the major part ofcachol which is lodged beyond the rails D and D while the minor part ofeach is lodged thereunder. By means of a pin disposed in parallel to therails D. D there is swivelled to the plate B aflap E secured againstrotation in thedi rectionrindieated by arrow w (Figs. 3 and l) by'a pairof check surfaces 6 6 The flap E faces the'rail D and extends with itsunattached end, shaped to match the head ot'the rail, in a recess d Ofsaidhead. The flap E rests on a bolt F adapted tobe dis placed in aperpendicular direction.

This

bolt moves in a spring pocket 6 secured. to t the plate B and is actedupon by an initially tensioned spring G. To the underside of the flap Ethere is arranged an electriccontact member 6 which, on the flap Eoscillating in the direction counter to that indicated by arrow 01, willstrike against a contact member Z) mounted on the plate B; By aid of apin 0 disposed in parallel to the rails D D there are mounted on theplate C in juxtaposition two flaps H and J, each secured againstrotation in the direction denoted by arrow y (Figs. 5 and 7 by a pair ofcheck surfaces 0 h and. 0 2 respectively. The flaps H, and J in theirturn faoethe rail D and project with their unattached ends shaped tomatch the head of the rail, in a suitable long recess d formed in thehead ofthe'raiLDR The said head is provided with a l'O ghT haPBd sunkenportion d? in the'section of the rail D adjoining the. plate H and thisin the manner disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7. The flaps H and J reston bolts K andM respectively, adapted-to be displaced in theperpendicular sense. These bolts move in spring-pockets c and c mountedon the plate 0, and, are subjected to the act-ion of initially tensionedsprings N and P, respectively. The spring N is. substantially morepowerful than: the springs and P. Tothe underside of the flaps H andJthere are fixed electric contact members h? and i whiclnwhen theflapsH.and. J are rocked in a direction contrary tothat denoted by the arrow,y, make contact with the electric contact members 0 and c yfor theirpart fixed to the plate C. lVithin a space remote from the parts so farreferred, to, say, for instance, the statiommaslnrsv room, there isarranged an electromagnetically operated recording mechanism. Thisrecording. mechanism, comprises a revolving recording drum Q adapted; tobe rotated erkwise by means of an electromagnetically controlledfeedmechanism. The ends of the magnet winding r appertaining tothis feedmechanism communicate with a source of electric power R by interventionof the-contact members i 0 already referred to. Two recording pens Sand- S of different lengths and pivotally fixed to a support 8? areadapted to co-operate. with the. shell surface of said drum Q, thepoints of which pens touch the shell surface of said drum at pointsdisposed on two adjoining generatrices of said surface. By aid of magnetwindings r and r the recording pens S and S may obtain a rocking motionwhich will enable them to draw a short line on the recording drum whichline runs in the direction of a generatrix of the shell surface of saiddrum. The support 8 is mounted to shift but not to rotate, on a spindlet for its part adapted to rotate at a uniform speed by the interventionof a clockwork T. The magnet windings '1' and 7* communicate with thesource of electric power it by aid of the contact members 0 5 and h 0,respectively.

In considering the manner of operation of the hereinbefore describeddevice, let it be assumed that the several parts be in the posit-ionsindicated in the drawings and that the spindle t is rotated at a uniformspeed by the clockwork in such a manner that the 7 support 8 will slowlydisplace itself in the direction indicated by the arrow The tworecording pens S and S will consequently come to mark twotime-indicating lines g Q2 on the surface of the recording druml; theselines running primarily in the direction of the generatrices of saidshell surface, see Fig. 9. The time-lines and indicate that no cars ofany kind whatsoever have run across the track D D during the interval oftime from 7.55 to 8.00. Let it now further be assumed that at 8 oclock atrain comprising four loaded, seven unloaded and live loaded axles ispassing across the railway track D D in the direction denoted by thearrow o (Fig. 8). The front axle of this train will then pass with oneof its wheels primarily across the flap J. The spring 1 appertaining tothis flap is so dimensioned that the said flap will be rocked in adirection counter to that indicated by the arrow by either loaded orunloaded axle for such an extent, that the contact members 2' 0" willmake contact. As a result, the circuit embodying the magnet wind ing rwill be closed and the feed mechanism controlled. by this winding willrotate the recording drum Q for a slight angle. The rotation of therecording drum Q causes the direction oi, the time-lines and 7 marked bythe recording pens S and S to be rectangularly deflected so that theywill now run in the direction of the circumference of the drum. Shortlyafter the front axle has passed. across the flap J, both wheels of thissame axle pass across the oppositely disposed flaps E and H. In thiscase too the springs G and N appertaining to these two flaps are intheir turn so dimensioned that the flap H will be rocked only by loaded,the flap E however by both loaded and unloaded axles and for such anextent in a direction counter to that indicated by arrows g and m thatthe contact members h 0 and c If, respectively, will make contact. Thewheels of the "front axle, which as already stated is loaded, will inpassing over the flaps E and H cause these to be so far rocked counterto the direction indicated by arrows 03 and 7 that the members 7) and W0", respectively, will temporarily make contact. In this event, the flapE will be depressed for such anextent that the surlace of: the portionthcreoi. touched by the rim of the wheel will come to lie flush with thesurface of the head of the rail, while the flap ll will be angularlyrotated so that when this flap is in its lowermost position, the surfacethereof touched by the rim of the wheel will. for its part lie perfectlyflush with the bot tom of the trough-shaped sunken portion cl of therail D Hence, the wheel passing across the flap H will slightly sinkdownward in traversing the trough-shaped sunken portion (Z The members 07) and 71,2 0 having, as said, temporarily made contact, the circuitsembodying the magnet windings r and r will come to he closed, for ashort time. Acting under the influence of the current which thentraverses the ma net windings r and r. the recording pens S and S noweach make a stroke (7" and 1 respectively, on the recording; drum Q. Thearrangement devised is such that the strokes Q3 and produced inconsequence of the excitation of the magnet windings r and 7' will bedisposed. at right angles to the section of the time-lines and g lyingin par allel to the circumference of the drum. Directly iJifTGT theaforeaid operations have been. effected, the second and likewise loadedaxle passes, first with its one wheel across the flap J and then withboth wheels across the flaps E and H. The result is that the sameoperations will now also repeat themselves on the recording drum Q. thatis to say, by this drum now in rotation, the timelines and 7 are firstof all each pro longed for a little extent in the peripheral directionof the drum, whereupon the re cording pens S S make two strokes and 1.This will also he the case as the third and. the tourth loaded axlepasses with its wheels across the flaps 'T and E and H. respectively.The time-lines are each time first prolonged for a little extent. whcroupon the strokes to a are made on the recording drum by therecording-pens 5 S As the seven unloaded axles now successively passacross the flaps J and E, H, respectively, the aforesaid operations arein general repeated. The sole difference is that the flap H is notrocked in a direction counter to that indicated by the arrow 2 as thewheels of the unloaded axles pass across it. On the contrary, the wheelsof the unleaded axles-owing to the spring N being considerably strongerthan its companion springs pass across the flap H without compressingsaid springN'. Hence, no contact is made by the contact members if and cand the magnet winding r consequently remains uncxcited. As eachunloaded axle passes across the track, the time-lines on therecordingdrum are therefore first prolonged "for a small extent and,then the excitation ofthe magnet winding rresulting from the depressionof the flap E causesthe recording pens to mark the strokesg tog", whichstrokes correspond to the marks 9 Q5, Q7, Q9 on the recording drum; Ontheother hand, no strokes corresponding to the strokes Q8, come to bemade. The operations effected as the succeeding fiveloaded axles nowpass across the track correspondexactly to those carried out andhereinbefore described in connectionawith the passing of the first fourloaded axles of the train. 0n the recording; drum there are thusproduced, in succession-andeach time after the time-lines g1 and Q2 havebeen prolonged for a slight extent. the strokes to 7. After the lastwheel of the train passes, all the parts ofthe device arranged on therails again return into their initial position shown in the drawing, andonly the support s is moved by, the-clockwork T inthedirection of thearrow 'lahe-timedines g are therefore again rectangularly deflected theinstant the last axle has passed across the flaps E andl-I', and nowonce more-continue to runin-the direction otfthe generatrices of therecording drum. The time-lines there by indicate that in theintervaloftime from 8,00 to about 8.17 no cars have traversed the particularsection of the track where the device is mounted.

Let it now once more beassumed that, at. this time, i..e., 8.17, a traincomposed of eight l.oaded, six unloaded; and two loaded axles, ispassing-across the device inithe di-M reaction-counter to that indicatedb'yythe arrow; will Fig. 87 The operations 1nv con nection. with.thedepressing -ot the flaps E and H, as also J will now be the same asthose already hercinbefore described, and,

in consequence, the flaps lil andJ come to be depressed by both theloaded as well as.

the unloaded axles, while the flap H is rocked in the sense counter toarrow 7 (Figs.

5 to '7) only as the loaded axles pass across sections of" thetime-lines running in the peripheral directionof the recording drum,

are therefore each: now disposed for the length of their respectiveprolongation to the strokes and 9 After the last wheel 1 has passedacrossthe flap J, all the'parts of the device mounted on the railsreturn into their initial positionand the recording pens 0S and Sactedlupon by the support 8 displacing itseltalongthe spindle t againcontinue to drawthe time-lines in'the direction of the generatrices ofthe recording drum., This willcontinue until a train again passes acrossthede-viceineither the one orthe other direction.

From the aforesaid it will be readily understood that the strokes markedon one of thewtime-lines, T, will indicate thesum-total. of theaxles-thatihavevpassedacross the railwaytrack equipped with the device,while the strokes marked on the opposite timeline, 9 indieatehow nanyand which of these said axles were loaded. Giving to the circumstancealready mentioned, that the ends of; those sections ofthe. time linesdis pose'd'in the peripheral direction of the recording drum, coincidewith the last strokes marked thereon (seein particular lines 926, orelse extend 1 beyond them, there =may, in addition, be ascertained thedirection in which i the respective train has passed across the device.But besides this, the device will alsoindicate'the time'at which eachtrain passed;

In the place of a single'flap H anda single recording pen Si belongingthereto, there may also be arranged a plurality of such flapsiwith theirrespective contact members and recording pens, and the arrangement maythen be so devised thateach of these recordingpens will mark a separatetime-line and; each of i said flaps ,be adapted. to bring about a.closing ot the circuit and-therewith causev a linetobemarked at rightangles to the respective time-line, and this always for a differentrange of weight. Insucha case there would; thennot only come toberecorded thenumber of unloaded and loaded cars, buticthere would inaddition be indi cated' the range of weight within which lies theaxle-pressure of each separate axle.

Moreover, the fact that, in the described recording device each of themembers causing a circuit to be closed can always close only oneparticular circuit and no more, produces the chief advantage proper tothe subject matter of the invention in that it is impossible of a wrongcircuit being closed at any time, so that therefore the indicationsmarked on the recording drum will always be absolutely reliable andcorrect, regardadapted to be actuated by different axle pressures of thecars passing over the track, a third contact device also operated by thepassage of cars over the track, a recording device comprising anintermittently rotating recording drum and a pair of recording members,means connecting the first mentioned contact devices to the recordingmembers respectively and means connecting the last mentioned contactdevice to said recording drum.

2. A recording device for railways comprising a pair of electric contactdevices disposed on opposite sides of the track and adjacent said railsso as to be operated by the wheels of cars passing over the track, saidcontact devices being operatable by different axle pressures, a thirdcontact device disposed adjacent one rail of the track and operatable,by the wheels of the car passing over said track, a recording apparatuscomprising an intermittently rotatable recording drum and a. pair ofrecording members, said first mentioned contact devices being eachconnected to one of said recording members, means for displacing saidrecording members axially of said recording drum at a predeterminedspeed and means connecting; said third contact device to said recordingdrum whereby it will be intermittently rotated when its correspondingcontact device is caused to function, the functioning of said firstmentioned contact devices causing said recording members to function.

An axle recording device for railways comprising electric'contactdevices adapted to be disposed adjacent the rails of said railway, eachcontact device including a pivoted flap, a power accumulator disposedunder said flap, the rails oi? .i aid railway being formed with a recessto accommodate the edge of said flap, said flap being adapted to bemoved against the tension. of its corresponding power accumulator by thewheels of a car passing over said railway, electrically operatedrecording apparatus connected to said contact devices and adapted tofunction when said. contact devices are op erated.

4t. it recording device for railways comprising electric contact devicesassociated with the rails of said railway so as to be actuated by thewheels of a car passing thereover, each of said contact devicesincluding a pivoted flap, the free end of which is disposed in recessesformed in the rails of said railway, one of said contact devices beingoperatable only by a comparatively greater pressure, the railadjacentsaid last contact device being formed with a troughshaped sunkenportion to permit the [la p of said contact device to be depressed andan electrically operated recording apparatus connected to said contactdevices and operatalole when said contact devices function.

5. A recording device of the class described for railways comprisingthree contact devices associated with the rails of said railway anddisposed so as to be operatable by the wheels of a car passingthereover, each contact device comprising a stationary member, a pivotedmember, electric contacts carried by said stationary and movable membersand adapted to close an electrical circuit when said movable member isdepressed, a power accumulator disposed under the movable member of eachcontact device and tending to normally keep said movable member raisedand said contacts out of engage ment, the power accumulator of one ofsaid movable members being;- of greater strength than the others, arecording appaaltus comprising a recording drum and a pair of recordingmembers, electrical means connecting one of said contact devices to saiddrum whereby said drum will be intermittently rotated when said contactdevice functions and means connecting each one of the other contactdevices to a respective recording member, whereby said recording membersmay be operated when their associated contact devices function.

The foregoing specification signed at Essen, Germany, this 12th day ofOctober,

\VERNER KOLBE. JOHANNES FR-ITZEN. 1n presence oit- Hans GOTTSMANN,JOHANN A. Dnonnns.

